Cowboys hire WT aide King

King, who finished his second season with the Buffs in 2009 after a previous stint with WT in 2005, was named defensive quality control/assistant linebackers coach with the Cowboys.

"This was a good opportunity, to go and join the Cowboys," said King, who spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons as a coach at Baylor.

King has known Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and his son, Wes, an offensive quality control coach for the Cowboys, for years.

"I went to school and played with Wes (at Texas-El Paso) and coached with him at West Texas and Baylor," said King, who helped develop the Buffs' trio of standout defensive linemen - Eugene Sims, Broderick Marshall and Marcus Rowe. "The position opened when (former Dallas assistant coach) Dat Nguyen didn't sign back up. For them to think of me was a very good deal."

Nguyen, a former standout linebacker at Texas A&M, joined the Aggies as a linebackers coach.

"This wasn't an easy decision. I loved the players at West Texas," King said. "It was tough, but it was a great opportunity for me, and I want to make the most of it."

King has hit the ground running. He will be at the NFL Combine, which starts Wednesday in Indianapolis.

"It is going to be a great learning process. You look around the room at (Dallas coaches) Paul Pasqualoni, Dave Campo, Wade, Reggie Herring. It is amazing. It really is," King said. "The defense is the same 3-4 defense that we run (at WT). The terminology is different, and I can't wait to learn.

"I really enjoyed Amarillo and Canyon. I will miss it, but this was a great opportunity."